Sustainability, and reducing the environmental impact of products and services. Customisation, to offer guests a unique and distinctive experience, with the creation of product lines tailored to the type of guest, for example products for children. And sensory experiences: these are the guidelines that hotels are following. As Piero Persi, CEO of La Bottega Spa explains.

“For La Bottega innovation means adopting a dual approach: innovating on packaging and innovating on formulae. The company is proud to have been ahead of the game as regards all the main green trends in the sector: it was the first to present dispensers in alternative materials to plastic (for example ceramic), non-refillable solutions with proprietary patents, solid cosmetics and 100% aluminium single-use tubes. Our cosmetic preparations contain no allergens or harmful substances, they are biodegradable and come in natural, eco-label and organic versions.”

The whole concept of luxury in hotels has changed. “Today, guests are looking for authentic premium experiences that are also sustainable and customised to their personal requirements. And the concept of luxury is evolving towards greater authenticity, also reflecting some aspects of the local area. Guests are keen to make the most of local culture and desire cosmetic products made using traditional ingredients. So hotels need to offer things that are unique and convey a true sense of place.”

Increasingly, hotels are inclined to offer their guests an all-round experience that covers all the main touchpoints of their stay. This is why La Bottega suggests offering gift items with retail value in the hotel’s boutique, either for sale or given away as complimentary items, thus extending the guests’ memory of their stay there. At HostMilano La Bottega will present the main licensed brands and innovative products such as the “Invisibili” dispensers (a patented model), and packaging made of aluminium, ceramic, recycled ocean plastic and glass.

The idea of providing useful items that are also unusual and refined is a trend also according to Elisabetta Talpo, branch manager of Giobagnara, a group with various brands that recently also took over the Italian luxury lifestyle brand Riviere.

“Our idea of innovation is about constantly coming up with new ideas for our customers all year round. New articles, new colours, new finishes. In addition, since we are ourselves the producers of our brands, we can customise items to make them truly unique. Depending on the kind of accommodation facility – business, conference, wellbeing – we believe that the true added value lies in being able to put people at their ease. The guest needs to feel special, in a setting that has been thought through right down to the last detail.”

Looking ahead to HostMilano next October: “Our team of designers designer is working continuously on new innovations. We will be bringing our new Tableware and Room Decoration collections, as well as all those other items that embellish hotel spaces. The luxury concept in hotels is more and more about making guests feel ‘at home’, enhancing the establishment with all those comforts that make the place elegant and technologically up-to-date, with a welcoming, relaxing atmosphere.”